[House Report 107-223] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 107th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 107-223 ====================================================================== BOOKER T. WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2001 _______ September 28, 2001.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Hansen, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H.R. 1456] [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 1456) to expand the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. Purpose of the Bill The purpose of H.R. 1456 is to expand the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument, and for other purposes. Background and Need for Legislation Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856 on a 200-acre tobacco farm owned by the Burrough family in southwestern Virginia. Washington eventually founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and became the most notable African-American educator of his day. The Booker T. Washington National Monument is located near the regional recreation area of Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County, Virginia. The monument preserves and protects the birthplace and childhood home of Washington and interprets his life experiences and significance in American history. The primary archaeological resources include the Burrough's house site or ``Big House'' and two slave cabin sites. A slave cabin was reconstructed on one of the sites in the 1960s. Located in an area of rolling hills, forests and farmland, the monument is one-half mile from the rapidly growing commercial crossroads of Westlake Corner, which has become the primary hub of services for the Smith Mountain Lake community. A 58-acre tract was recently rezoned from agricultural to planned commercial use between Westlake and the current monument. The commercial and residential development is visible from the monument. Much of the surrounding farmland is for sale, including a 15-acre tract which has been identified as the most critical for addition to the monument due to its elevation and proximity to the Washington birthplace site. Seven of the 15 acres on this parcel were part of the original Burrough farm. The current owner of the parcel is a willing seller. If authorized and acquired, this 15-acre parcel will be added to the monument's agricultural permit program to preserve the agricultural setting of the park. Although the monument setting will be transformed in the foreseeable future from rural to an urban, the addition and preservation of this parcel will ensure that the monument visitors experience an agricultural landscape while visiting. The National Park Service (NPS), which oversees the monument, estimates that the purchase price of the 15-acre parcel will be approximately $350,000. In addition, the Park Service will incur $60,000 in acquisition costs. The NPS Northeast Region has identified this project as its top land acquisition funding priority for Fiscal Year 2003. The acquisition of this parcel will not necessitate additional facilities, operating funds or staffing. The expansion has widespread support from the surrounding communities in southwestern Virginia as well as the Bush Administration. Committee Action H.R. 1456 was introduced on April 4, 2001, by Congressman Virgil Goode, Jr. (I-VA). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands. On July 24, 2001, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On July 31, 2001, the Subcommittee met to mark up the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the Full Committee by voice vote. On September 12, 2001, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by voice vote. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. Constitutional Authority Statement Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill. Compliance With House Rule XIII 1. Cost of Legislation.--Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 2. Congressional Budget Act.--As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures. 3. General Performance Goals and Objectives.--This bill does not authorize funding and therefore, clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply. 4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate.--Under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, September 21, 2001. Hon. James V. Hansen, Chairman, Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1456, the Booker T. Washington National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001. If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Deborah Reis. Sincerely, Barry B. Anderson (For Dan L. Crippen, Director). Enclosure. H.R. 1456--Booker T. Washington National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001 H.R. 1456 would revise the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost the federal government less than $500,000. The bill would not affect direct spending or receipts; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The legislation contains no intergovernmental or private- sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. H.R. 1456 would expand the boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument to include about 15 acres of adjacent land, which the National Park Service (NPS) could then acquire by purchase, donation, or exchange. The acquired acreage would be administered by the NPS. Based on information provided by the NPS and assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that the cost of acquiring the property added to the monument would be less than $500,000 in fiscal year 2002 and 2003. We estimate that there would be no significant additional cost to develop or manage the new acreage. The staff contact for this estimate is Deborah Reis. The estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. Compliance with Public Law 104-1 The bill contains no unfunded mandates. Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is printed in italic and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): SECTION 5 OF THE ACT OF APRIL 2, 1956 AN ACT To provide for the establishment of the Booker T. Washington National Monument. SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL LANDS. (a) Lands Added to Monument.--The boundary of the Booker T. Washington National Monument is modified to include the approximately 15 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled ``Boundary Map, Booker T. Washington National Monument, Franklin County, Virginia'', numbered BOWA 404/ 80,024, and dated February 2001. The map shall be on file and available for inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. (b) Acquisition of Additional Lands.--The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire from willing owners the land or interests in land described in subsection (a) by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. (c) Administration of Additional Lands.--Lands added to the Booker T. Washington National Monument by subsection (a) shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the monument in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.